Parking in a disabled parking bay

[VividLilac]

I am trying to give my 10 year old a little independence. He wanted to get himself ready after swimming lesson and meet me in car park of leisure centre. I was right on time and it was getting a little dark out so I swung into a close(ish) to entrance disabled parking bay. There are around 10 bays in total with one car parked up (I would never have pulled into these spaces if busy and certainly would not have taken the last space). I stepped out the car, waiting next to it for the 40 seconds until he came out of the leisure centre to wave him over. A small child was walking past hand in hand with their grandmother and she loudly started to speak to the child about how selfish it was to park in disabled spaces. Of course she is right and I wouldn’t do it again, no matter what the circumstances but ffs was there any need.

I DON'T USE THEM!

How many times. I'm just saying that the reactions to this on this thread are way over the top. People could make the same point without the sound and fury. It's unnecessary.

Yes all the disabled spaces could be filled within minutes. Disability swim sessions are held at our local centre. At least 20 families and individuals turn up for this. All blue badge spaces filled in a few minutes. They need those spaces for their independence, their needs. Not the need of a 10 year old who can easily walk to another space.

I never realised until a relative became disabled. But they frequently have to abandon their plans and go home because of parking issues. One time we travelled around an hour to see a church they'd wanted to see. To find a large flat bed truck parked right up next to the entrance. The driver refused to move and suggested we climb over it. It's embarrassing and spoils the day to have to argue with people. Several times we've tried to go on family days out to find we all go back home as no suitable parking available. It really does impinge on people's lives. I didn't realise before and you don't unless it affects your friends/family.

You are going to get A mixed bag people might think oh its fine for a minute nobody is using it blah blah. It's the principle though but you think you are right not to be inconvenienced by parking further away, so nobody here will change your mind. Fwiw you are breaking the law and lazy but hey ho.

It is if when people rant rather than simply making the point calmly.

Unfortunately some people need this to realise that it's not all me me me.

Yep. It broke my heart when my late husband had a few hours where he felt well enough to go out, but we'd get there and there'd be no space available to transfer him from his seat to his wheelchair 😥

I still think some people are being unnecessary in this thread though. It's a very different situation.

Maybe folk are just annoyed that this is another thing they have to defend alongside experiencing their access issues passed "being nice" about it!

i get that but when people face issues every day just trying to get out their house because people nip into these spaces for “just a few minutes” it’s hardly surprising that when someone online is so blatant in admitting to abusing the spaces it annoys people.

On this topics people’s reactions are very much a reaction to the day to battles they face

I was one of those people. Or my late DH was and I was driver. See my post above for how distressing it was when there was no space.

But anyway. It looks like only a couple of people agree with me about the tone of this thread, so time to give up.

The increased use of “hatred”, “venom” and other terms to describe what is essentially not politely and kindly disagreeing is alarming to me.

Don’t think men tell each other off for saying “that’s bang out of order” rather than “ooooh no hun you probably shouldn’t do that but don’t worry, you don’t need to feel bad xxxx” or whatever.

If everyone parked in one of nine empty spaces, leaving 8 then it would be fine. In this exact, precise scenario the OP was doing no harm and could have moved immediately if needed. Slippery slope and thin end of the wedge arguments are weak. I don't deny at all the reality of what BB users have described here and I would never condone using one and leaving the car or using one of these were no or few available regardless of need. But in this exact scenario? She was literally not harming anyone.

Too many threads on here start with an OP and have people commenting using wildly different circumstances to justify their stance...there was one the other day about not having left details after a tiny white spot on another car was left by the ops door..the other car was parked over the line. Cue pages of abuse about people causing massive damage and dents and thousands of pounds of costs.

People are indeed furious because posters like you are enabling it by saying 'ah once is ok, I wouldn't do it but meh'.

It isn't ever ok. Not even for a few mins which next time (and there will be a next time) will be 10 mins and only 4 spaces etc..

It's amazing how so many people are too unintelligent to understand such a simple concept as, "If you don't have a blue badge, you don't park in disabled spaces".

It's so simple that I'm not sure how the people who cannot understand this function in daily life.

Yabu and very selfish op!

Do have a blue badge? If not, you ABU.

Yes how very dare those who have disabled family get annoyed at the 'oh whatever' responses from the op and thankfully the minority of posters.
We must be pleasant when people take the mick and we must complain in quiet voices.

in my immediate family we have 4 blue badge holders, living over three households. Wheelchair needs means car pooling is very rarely an option so if we all go somewhere together we need 3 blue badge spaces.

the idea you can just nip into a space because others are free doesn’t work in reality. It makes life a lot harder for those who need it than it should be

Not a good example for yoyr son. Forget it now, you've learned from it, move on.

And mine! If you park a mm over that white line, your car is on the community forum before you’re home!!

I have a BB.

1- Many BB holders can walk but not far. The difference between the first place just next to the door and another one or two spaces down will huge for those people. Experience talking here.

2- if you either struggle to walk or use a wheelchair, you’re not going to step out if your car, check if there is a BB displayed agd then ask the person to move. You just park somewhere else. It’s true even if there are no space left and you end up in a ‘normal’ space. The idea that you can just move if needed just doesn’t hold.

The problem is this one:

Oh in this particular case, it was ok. There was lots of empty spaces. Why being so uptight? Apart from the fact it’s illegal.

Then becomes
Well I always park there because there’s always plenty of empty places.
And then
BB spaces? Theyre for everyone right?

The law applies all the time. There is no ‘in this case it was ok’ because otherwise no one would follow it full stop.
The OP should follow the law. No amount of ‘I was next to car/I could move/whatever other excuses’ makes it ok to not follow the law. Imagine people would do that on 30mph zone saying they go at 40 because it’s night time/no one is around today etc….

You don't have a badge
Your child doesn't have a badge
I'm not sure what's difficult.
You could have parked in any space and still stood in the same spot. He would have walked the same distance for his independence.

@LionME but that's just slippery slope all over again. I'm perfectly capable in lots of scenarios of seeing a difference between a slight infringement which in practical terms is genuinely not going to cause an issue and the next scenario with a few tweaks that would. This exact scenario does not merit the vitriol on here

But she couldn't move immediately she was waiting on her son she was distracted